Spark ignition engines, such as natural gas burning engines, are typically four stroke engines operating under an Otto or Miller combustion cycle. Given the relatively low energy content of natural gas versus other types of fuel, such as gasoline or diesel, natural gas burning engines of the reciprocating piston type may produce unburned hydrocarbon emissions and tend to knock during operation. As is known, engine knocking, which is a phenomenon also commonly referred to as pinging or pinking, in spark-ignition internal combustion engines occurs when combustion of the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder does not combust in a single combustion event. More particularly, in a typical knock situation, the air/fuel mixture in a combustion cylinder will initiate combustion in response to ignition by the spark plug, but one or more pockets of air/fuel mixture will combust outside the envelope of the normal combustion or flame front. These secondary or additional combustion areas occurring within a combustion cylinder may create pressure waves within the cylinder, which can dramatically increase cylinder pressure. Such increases in cylinder pressure can be detrimental to the service life and durability of various engine components because they increase the stresses and loading on the various components.